Emergency shelter kit

ABSTRACT

A kit comprising the items needed to build an emergency shelter in the flexible-form rammed earth style, and a method of packing the items for shipment. The kit, designed for easy shipment to persons requiring emergency shelter, also includes the items needed to add a waterproof exterior layer to the outside of the shelter, along with items to construct a canvas awning, a water catchment system, lockable doors and lockable window shutters, and a composting toilet. The kit also includes mosquito netting to cover the doorway and windows of the shelter.

This is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 12/907,073, issuedon Apr. 24, 2012, as U.S. Pat. No. 8,162,145 and priority is claimedthereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an emergency shelter kit comprising theitems needed to build a flexible-form rammed earth emergency shelter,and a packing process by which the items are packed into the kit forshipment. The items needed for the shelter's construction are packagedin the kit for easy shipment to persons requiring emergency shelter. Thekit also includes the items needed to add a waterproof exterior layer tothe outside of the shelter, along with items to construct a canvasawning, a water catchment system, lockable doors and lockable windowshutters, and a composting toilet. The kit also includes mosquitonetting to cover the doorway and windows. The kit materials areextremely adaptable to a wide range of terrain conditions and buildingstyles, but the preferred embodiment of the kit contains the materialsto construct a 12 foot diameter lancet dome with arched doorway andwindows. These single, round rooms are modular and can be combinedtogether to create larger dwellings.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Emergency shelter is an ever-present need in our crowded, disaster proneworld. Whether from natural disasters like tsunamis or earthquakes orfloods, or from man-made disasters such as riots or wars or economiccollapse, persons displaced from their homes and in need of emergencyshelter are always with us. For example, in early 2010, United Nations(UN) authorities spoke of a critical need for transitional shelters tobridge the gap between tents and the reconstruction of theinfrastructure in Haiti. UN authorities want emergency shelters thatwill last between 3-5 years. Thus a real need exists for durableemergency shelters that can be constructed easily and at low cost.

One of the most intriguing recent ideas in shelter design was the“Superadobe” flexible-form rammed earth emergency shelter developed bythe California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture, founded in 1986by Iranian-American polymath Nader Khalili (1936-2008). This inventionuses simple, easily available materials to construct durable and stablehousing. Through an ingeniously simple method of construction thatemploys bags made of durable material (herein referred to as“earthbags”), earthen material and barbed wire, persons displaced by adisaster can construct durable shelter that can withstand hurricanes,earthquakes, and other natural disasters.

The present invention relates to an efficient means of providing theitems needed to build a flexible-form rammed earth emergency shelter.The present invention is an emergency shelter kit of the items neededfor the shelter's construction, packaged for easy shipment to personsrequiring emergency shelter. The present invention also makesinnovations to the shelter's construction by adding a canvas awning, awater catchment system, a composting toilet, mosquito netting for thedoorway and windows, and a waterproof layer to the exterior of theshelter.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,027 issued to Khalili on Aug. 10, 1999 is for anearthquake-resistant building structure employing barbed wire andearthbags filled with earthen material. Khalili's invention is thestructure itself, unlike the present invention that envisions a kit ofitems needed to build the structure. Khalili also lacks otherinnovations added by the present invention. One of these is a waterproofouter shell made by covering the exterior of the earthbags with roofcoating material. Several other innovations of the present inventioninclude a canvas awning, a water catchment system, a composting toilet,the hardware to build lockable doors and window shutters, and mosquitonetting to cover the doorway and windows. All the items together in thekit, including all of the tools necessary to construct the shelter,represent a complete system that provides disaster victims with themeans of acquiring shelter, water, basic sanitation, and a degree ofphysical security.

U.S. Patent application 2007/0245676 filed by Jaks et al. on Apr. 11,2006 is for a kit containing all parts needed for assembling a housingunit. Jaks et al. differs from the present invention in that Jaks et al.is a kit containing the materials needed to assemble a conventionalstructure with walls, beams, roof, etc. The present invention, however,is a kit containing items to assemble a structure made primarily fromearthen material, and that through its design is resistant to naturaldisasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,172 issued to Yacoboni on Nov. 15, 1988 is for a kitcontaining all parts needed to construct an emergency shelter. Unlikethe present invention, Yacoboni employs numerous trapezoidal panels thatjoin together to form a structure. The present invention, however, is akit containing items to assemble a structure made primarily from earthenmaterial, and that through its design is resistant to natural disasterssuch as hurricanes and earthquakes.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,961 issued to Beaudet on Aug. 3, 1999 is for anemergency shelter to be assembled on site. Unlike the present invention,Beaudet employs base, wall and roof portions that are fitted together atthe assembly site. The present invention, however, is a kit containingitems to assemble a structure made primarily from earthen material, andthat through its design is resistant to natural disasters such ashurricanes and earthquakes.

The present invention takes the concept of the flexible-form rammedearth emergency shelter and builds upon it, bringing it to a new levelby incorporating design improvements and a method of packaging thenecessary materials into an easily transportable kit that can bedistributed to displaced persons.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The idea behind the present invention is an emergency shelter kitcontained in a barrel with the elements necessary to make aflexible-form rammed earth emergency shelter. The shelter is built in adome shape, which requires no wood for roofing or even form work. Thedome shape has been engineered to pass the California earthquakebuilding standards and is considered to be the safest form of temporaryshelter in a hurricane. All the components of the kit are to be utilizedin the construction of the shelter, with some of the components servingdual uses (e.g., the barrel can be used as in a water catchment system).Thus, an earthquake and hurricane proof emergency shelter, along withthe means of acquiring drinking water and improving sanitation, areincluded in one easy to ship, store and transport container.

The basic building blocks of the shelter are earthbags that are filledwith earthen material and laid in rows, or courses, with a strand ofbarbed wire placed between each course. The earthbags are cut from aroll of polytube material, and are superior to conventional sandbags forthree major reasons. First, they are better adapted to dome constructionbecause their greater length adds to the tensile strength of eachcourse. Second, they are quicker to fill than individual sandbags, whichcould prove to be very important when people struggle to erect sheltersin the face of an oncoming disaster. Third, earthbags allow theinsertion of an arched doorway and windows into a dome shaped buildingfar more readily than do individual sandbags. As an arch widens, theearthbags for each layer of the arch can be cut to length and laid as asingle piece, making the arch simpler and easier to construct.

The present invention incorporates several key innovations into theflexible-form rammed earth emergency shelter. One of these improvementsis a waterproof outer shell, which is effected by the application of acommercial roof coating material to the exterior of the shelter. Anotherkey improvement to the shelter relates to security. The presentinvention envisions a means of fashioning lockable doors and windowshutters, an important feature for the safety of displaced persons,especially women and children. Other innovations that are part of thepresent invention include a canvas awning, a water catchment system, acomposting toilet system, and mosquito netting to cover the doorway andwindows.

All the items together in the kit represent a complete system that willprovide disaster victims with shelter, water, basic sanitation andsecurity. For example, a toilet seat lid that is included in the kitcombines with a 5-gallon bucket to create a rudimentary compostingtoilet. This is an important feature because disaster victims routinelyface sanitation problems that can lead to serious illness. In addition,the barrel that contains the kit can be converted to a key part of arain water catchment system. This is important because disaster victimswithout a sufficient supply of fresh water risk dehydration and illness.Furthermore, the canvas awning that offers shade from the sun, andincreases the living space available for cooking, cleaning and washing,is also the means by which rain water is directed to the empty barrelfor the water catchment system. Finally, because malaria is a majorkiller in developing countries, the present invention includes mosquitonetting to cover the doorway and windows, thus allowing users a measureof protection against this disease vector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the canvas awning (45) and water catchment system (85) ofthe present invention

FIG. 2 displays items found in the kit of the present invention.

FIG. 3 exhibits the tools and hinges of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention comprises an emergency shelter kit (15) ofcomponents needed to construct a shelter (7) of the type known asflexible-form rammed earth, in the “Superadobe” style developed by theCalifornia Institute of Earth Art and Architecture. This style ofshelter employs barbed wire (20) and earthbags (10) filled with earthenmaterial to form rows, or courses (8), into the walls and roof of adurable shelter (7) for displaced persons. The preferred embodiment ofthe kit (15) envisions the shelter (7) as a lancet dome with a 12 footdiameter interior and arched openings for a doorway and windows. Becausethe shelter (7) is built in a dome shape, no wood is required forroofing or form work. The kit (15) is contained in a barrel (5), whichin the preferred embodiment is a conventional 55-gallon drum preferablymade of polyethylene. (It is essential the barrel (5) be made ofnon-toxic materials, since it will be used to hold drinking water in awater catchment system (85).)

Although the shelter (7) is fairly simple to build, there are a numberof items necessary to construct it, and these items are included in thekit (15). These items are enumerated in the table found directly below,and explained in detail in the pages following. Although the itemsincluded in the kit (15), as well as the size and dimensions of theitems, can vary in different embodiments of the present invention, thetable below shows the preferred embodiment of the kit (15) with a briefdescription of the preferred embodiment of each item in the kit (15).After the table follows a description of how each item in the kit (15)is utilized to build the shelter (7), then a description of the packingprocess (70) of placing the items of the kit (15) into the barrel (5).

TABLE Name Quantity Preferred embodiment of items in kit (15) Barrel (5)1 55-gallon drum of polyethelene Hand pick (255) 1 Size: 12 inches longClear jar (60) 1 Clear plastic jar with height of 10 inches First screen(66) 1 22 inch diameter, ¾ inch expanded metal lathe First stake (180) 1Length: 18 inches, metal stake Second stake (183) 1 Length: 18 inches;flanged bottom, turning ring on top First chain (200) 1 “Height chain”;chain of 15 feet length Second chain (210) 1 “Center chain”; chain of 15feet length Tape measure (175) 1 30 feet long tape measure Chalk bottle(81) 1 8 ounce bottle Polytube material (12) 1 roll Size: 16 inches by900 feet Scissors (67) 1 Heavy duty industrial shears Nails (130) 2boxes Size: 16p; quantity 2,000 Shovels (90) 4 Collapsible (less than 1foot long when collapsed) Hand rake (53) 1 Size: 9 inches long Tubechute (55) 1 Cardboard Sonotube TM; size: 8 inch × 24 inch Elastic cord(52) 1 Bungee cord, 24 inches long First tamper (110) 1 Size: 34 inches× 4 inches; weight: 8 lbs. Hand shovel (54) 1 Size: 9 inches long Secondtamper (100) 1 Size: 34 inches × 6 inches; weight: 12 lbs. Barbed wire(20) 1 roll 4-point galvanized; 880 feet length Wire cutters (40) 1Heavy duty; length: 10½ inches Leather gloves (50) 4 pair Size: mediumCarpenter's level (290) 1 Length: 24 inches Spring clips (160) 12 Size:½ inch size Poly Twine (170) 1 roll Length: 500 feet Small buckets (140)4 Size: 6.5 × 7 inches Slider (150) 1 Metal, size: 12 inches wide × 14inches long Rafter square (155) 1 Size: 12 inches Door arc chains (121)6 Length: 3 feet, 8 inches Wood screws (250) 1 bag A bag of 6 inch woodscrews; at least 100 in quantity Screwdriver (260) 1 Length: 9 inches;Phillips screw head Hammer (270) 1 Length: 10 inches; framing hammer Saw(280) 1 Length: 14 inches; folding hand saw Hinges (220) 14 Size: 3½inches Latches (230) 3 Size: 4¼ inches Strip anchors (240) 16 Size: 9inches × 14 inches, composed of metal Door handles (235) 6 Size: 5inches Roof coating (310) 4.75 Gal Container of elastomeric orasphalt-based coating Paint brushes (320) 2 Standard four inch sizeSecond screen (62) 1 22 inches diameter, ¼ inch expanded metal latheTrowel (64) 1 Size: 11 inches long Paint (65) 3 cans Size: 1 pint cansMosquito netting (300) 1 bag Fine mesh polyester material; size: 48inches × 78 inches Tarpaulin (305) 1 Rectangular shape; size: 8 feet ×10 feet Extendable poles (306) 2 Length: 26 inches, extend to 8 feetlength Snap links (215) 5 Size: 2.5 inches Eye hooks (245) 3 Size/Type:10 inch galvanized steel Tent pegs (185) 4 Length: 9 inches Tent strings(195) 1 roll Size: 100 feet in length Faucet (205) 1 2 inch size Toiletseat lid (330) 1 Conventional standard size Bucket (30) 1 5 gallon size

The first step after unpacking the contents of the barrel (5) and priorto starting construction is to perform a soil analysis. A hand pick(255), provided to dig hard, rocky soil, is a handheld pick of 12 incheslength in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The useremploys the hand pick (255) to get earthen material for the soilanalysis. The user then fills a clear jar (60) with a few cups ofearthen material, adds water until the clear jar (60) is ¾ full, thenshakes the clear jar (60) vigorously. After 24 hours the earthenmaterial will settle, allowing the user to discern the amount of silt,clay and sand for that type of earthen material. Knowing the conditionof the local earthen material will allow the user to make adjustments tothe soil type when building the shelter (7). The shelter (7) built bythe kit (15) generally works best with earthen material that isapproximately 80% sand and 20% clay.

A first screen (66) is included in the kit (15) to sift the earthenmaterial for larger rocks and gravel which are needed for the foundationon which the shelter (7) will be built. The first screen (66), in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention, is circular in shape forease of shipping in the barrel, with a diameter of 22 inches, a mesh of¾ inch expanded metal lathe, and a conventional rubber hand grip aroundthe rim.

For preparing the foundation of the shelter (7), the items included inthe kit (15) are a first stake (180), a second stake (183), a firstchain (200), a second chain (210), a tape measure (175), and a chalkbottle (81). In the preferred embodiment, the first stake (180) is an 18inch long metal stake used in conjunction with the first chain (200),which is a “height chain” that needs to be at least 15 feet long tobuild the shelter (7) with a 12 feet diameter (the formula for thelength of the first chain (200) is the diameter of the shelter (7)multiplied by 1.25). The first stake (180) and first chain (200) areplaced slightly outside the area where the doorway of the shelter (7)will be located, and the arc of the first chain (200) describes the arcof the beehive-shaped shelter (7). The second stake (183) in thepreferred embodiment is 18 inches long, with flanges on the bottom tohold it securely in the ground and a turning ring on top, and is placedin the center of the foundation of the shelter (7). The second chain(210), which is a “center chain” that needs to be at least 15 feet longand markable at various lengths, attaches to the second stake (183) andwill be used to measure off the size of the inner radius of the dome ofthe shelter (7), as well as to construct higher courses (8) of earthbags(10). The tape measure (175) in the preferred embodiment is aconventional metal tape measure of 30 feet length that will be usedthroughout the construction process. The chalk bottle (81), in thepreferred embodiment of the present invention, is a conventional 8 ouncebottle of marking chalk used to lay down lines where the courses (8) ofthe shelter (7) will be built.

After the foundation of the shelter (7) has been prepared, a roll ofpolytube material (12), which is envisioned in the preferred embodimentas a roll 16 inches wide by 900 feet long, is cut with a pair ofscissors (67) to form earthbags (10) to fill with earthen material. Oneend of the earthbag (10) can be sealed by twisting or folding andtucking the loose material underneath the earthbag (10) to hold itclosed, or it can also be folded and pinned closed with a nail (130). Inthe preferred embodiment of the present invention, two boxes of nails(130) of the 16p galvanized type, and in a quantity of 2,000, areincluded in the kit (15). (The nails (130) will also be used inconstructing lockable doors (105) and lockable window shutters (107),described below.) In order to fill the earthbags (10), shovels (90), ahand rake (53), a tube chute (55), an elastic cord (24), a first tamper(110) and a hand shovel (54) are used as described below.

In filling the earthbags (10), the shovels (90) are used for digging theearthen material that will fill the earthbags (10). The preferredembodiment of the present invention envisions four shovels (90) that arecollapsible, with a length of approximately one foot when collapsed andthree feet when expanded. The hand rake (53), a conventionalthree-pronged rake of 9-inch length in the preferred embodiment, is usedto break the earthen material into smaller particles before placing itinto the earthbags (10). The tube chute (55) is envisioned in thepreferred embodiment as a cardboard Sonotube™ of 8 inch by 24 inch size,although a comparable cardboard tube could also be employed. The tubechute (55) is used to hold an earthbag (10) open while earthen materialis poured through the tube chute (55) into the earthbag (10). In orderto hold the earthbag (10) onto the tube chute (55) while the earthbag(10) is being filled with earthen material, the elastic cord (52), abungee cord of 24 inch length in the preferred embodiment, is placedaround both the earthbag (10) and the tube chute (55). Once the earthbag(10) is filled, the first tamper (110) is used to tamp down the earthenmaterial placed into the earthbag (10). The first tamper (110) is aconcrete weight attached to a short wooden handle, envisioned in thepreferred embodiment with a size of 34 inches by 4 inches and a weightof eight pounds. The hand shovel (54), a conventional 9 inch long shovelin the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is used to trimaway excess earthen material inside the earthbags (10) after the tampingprocess. Once the contents of the earthbag (10) are tamped, the open endof the earthbag (10) can be folded and pinned closed with a nail (130).Although the length of each earthbag (10) will vary according toplacement, each earthbag (10) will have a thickness of approximatelyfive inches after filling.

A second tamper (100) is envisioned in the preferred embodiment as aconcrete weight attached to a short wooden handle with a size of 34inches by 6 inches and a weight of 12 pounds. After the earthbag (10) isfilled with earthen material and pinned closed with a nail (130), thesecond tamper (100), is used to tamp the earthbag (10). The filledearthbags (10) must be tamped until they are hard and stable, sinceloosely filled earthbags (10) can cause the shelter (7) to fall. (Inother embodiments of the present invention, the functions of both thefirst tamper (110) and second tamper (100) could be fulfilled by otherimplements such as a brick or plumber's tamper, but whatever implementis used, it's important the earthbags (10) don't tear during the tampingprocess.) The filled and tamped earthbags (10) will then be formed intoa measured circle using the second chain (210). Then the user will usethe second chain (210) in conjunction with the first chain (200) todetermine the inner diameter of each course (8) of filled earthbags(10), until all the courses (8) are laid.

A key part of the courses (8) of filled earthbags (10) laid to form theshelter (7) is barbed wire (20). The barbed wire (20) envisioned in thepreferred embodiment is 4-point galvanized in a length of 880 feet. Inorder to build the shelter (7), a single strand of barbed wire (20) islaid on top of each course (8) of filled earthbags (10) to keep thecourses (8) of filled earthbags (10) fastened together. The wire cutters(40), envisioned in the preferred embodiment as having an overall lengthof 10½ inches, are used to cut the barbed wire (20) that will be placedbetween the courses (8) of filled earthbags (10). The preferredembodiment envisions four pairs of leather gloves (50) of medium size,which are necessary for the users handling the barbed wire (20) whenconstructing the shelter (7). As each successive course (8) of earthbags(10) is laid down, it is tamped into place by the second tamper (100).The tamping process must ensure that each course (8) of filled earthbags(10) is flat in order for the shelter (7) to be solid. The carpenter'slevel (290), of conventional type and 24 inch length in the preferredembodiment, is used to check the level of the courses (8) of filledearthbags (10) and ensure they are straight and flat.

In constructing the courses (8) of filled earthbags (7), two otheressential items that are included in the kit (15) are spring clips (160)and poly twine (170). The spring clips (160), of ½ inch size and 12 innumber in the preferred embodiment, are used in conjunction with thepoly twine (170) when laying the courses (8) of barbed wire (20) andfilled earthbags (10). The poly twine (170) in the preferred embodimentis envisioned as a roll 500 feet in length. The poly twine (170) andspring clips (160) are used as follows: the user wraps 50 feet of polytwine (170) around a brick or rock, securing one end of the poly twine(170) under the first course (8) of earthbags. Then the poly twine(170), weighted down by the brick or rock, is laid over the strand ofbarbed wire (20) on each successive course (8), with the brick or rockhanging off the side of the course (8) and held there by a spring clip(160) attached to the poly twine (170). The purpose of this procedure isto keep the barbed wire (20) in place on top of the course (8) before itis covered by the next course (8). This technique also interweaves thetwine (170) in and out of the courses (8) of earthbags (10), adding alittle extra support during the laying of courses (8). It's a simpleprocess that prevents the need of placing bricks every few feet on topof the springy barbed wire (20) to keep it from falling off theearthbags (10).

In constructing the higher courses (8) of filled earthbags (10),additional items are needed, namely small buckets (140) and a slider(150). The small buckets (140) in the preferred embodiment are in aquantity of four, with each bucket (140) made of sturdy plastic andmeasuring 6.5 inches by 7 inches (although any metal or sturdy plasticcontainer of comparable size would suffice). The small buckets (140) areneeded because a full earthbag (10) that has been properly tamped canweigh more than 100 pounds, and the highest courses (8) of the shelter(7) are more than ten feet in the air. Without the small buckets (140),a filled earthbag (10) must be filled at ground level and then carriedup the steep courses (8) of the shelter (7) in order to be placed.Instead, a three person crew works like this: a first user is on top ofthe courses (8), say ten feet in the air, with a second user at theground level filling a small bucket (140) with earthen material. Thesecond user then tosses the filled small bucket (140) to a third user,who is also standing on top of the courses (8). The third user catchesthe small bucket (140), empties it into the open earthbag (10), and thendrops the empty small bucket (140) back down to the second user. Thishas been proven to be the most effective way to fill the heavy earthbags(10) that are placed on top of the higher courses (8) of the shelter(7). The slider (150) is a flat piece of metal, envisioned in thepreferred embodiment as 12 inches wide and 14 inches long, with a flaredend designed for a user to grab. The slider (150) is needed when a useris filling an earthbag (10) while standing on top of the courses (8) ofthe shelter (7). When the earthbag (10) is in a vertical position whilebeing filled on top of the courses (8), that means the earthbag (10) issitting on a strand of barbed wire (20), since a single strand of barbedwire (20) is placed on top of each course (8). Without the slider (150),when the user goes to lay the filled earthbag (10) on top of the course(8), the earthbag (10) will catch on the barbed wire (20) and tear. Bysitting the earthbag (10) on the slider (150) while filling it, the useravoids tearing the earthbag (10) on the barbed wire (20). When theearthbag (10) is filled, the user pulls the slider (150) out from underthe filled earthbag (10) so that the filled earthbag (10) is placed intoposition on top of the strand of barbed wire (20).

Building the three arches in the shelter (7) for the doorway and windowsrequires the use of a rafter square (155) and door arc chains (121). Therafter square (155), of 12 inch size in the preferred embodiment, isused for laying out the straight edges of the doorway and windows. Eachdoor arc chain (121) is a lightweight chain that attaches to thespringline of each arch (the point of an arch where the curvature startsis called the springline) in order to “describe” the inside curves ofthe arches so that they can be built correctly. The preferred embodimentof the present invention envisions six door arc chains (121), each one44 inches long, for inclusion in the kit (15), one door arc chain (121)for each half of the three arches.

The present invention also includes materials to build into the shelter(7) lockable doors (105) and lockable window shutters (107). Thelockable doors (105) are envisioned in the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention as two French style doors that form a single doorsplit lengthwise up the middle. The lockable window shutters (107) areenvisioned in the preferred embodiment as two shutters for each of thetwo windows of the shelter (7), with one shutter placed on each side ofeach window. Some of the materials included in the kit (15) to build thelockable doors (105) and lockable window shutters (107) include woodscrews (250), a screwdriver (260), a hammer (270), and a saw (280). Inthe preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wood screws (250)are six inches long and in a quantity of at least 100, the screwdriver(260) is of nine inch length with a Phillips screw head, the hammer(270) is a framing hammer of ten inch length, and the saw (280) is afolding saw with a 14 inch tempered steel alloy folding blade.

Other materials included in the kit (15) to build the lockable doors(105) and lockable window shutters (107) include hinges (220), latches(230), strip anchors (240), and door handles (235). The preferredembodiment envisions fourteen hinges (220) of 3½ inch size, with sixhinges (220) for the lockable doors (105) (three hinges (220) for theleft side and three hinges (220) for the right side of the French styledoor split lengthwise up the middle) and eight hinges (220) for the fourlockable window shutters (107) (two shutters for each window, two hinges(220) for each shutter). The latches (230), envisioned in the preferredembodiment as three of 4¼ inch size, will also be used, with one latch(230) installed to lock the pair of lockable doors (105), and twolatches (230) installed to lock both pairs of lockable window shutters(107). Strip anchors (240), envisioned in the preferred embodiment as 9inch by 14 inch metal pieces in a quantity of 16, are utilized so thatthe lockable doors (105) and lockable window shutters (107) can befastened to the courses (8) of filled earthbags (10). The flat portionof the strip anchor (240), with nails protruding upwards and downwards,is inserted between courses (8) of earthbags (10) to provide a firmlysecured “strip” into which the hinges (220) can be fastened. The doorhandles (235), six in number and of five inch size in the preferredembodiment, attach to the lockable doors (105) and lockable windowshutters (107). (Although the wood to build the lockable doors (105) andlockable window shutters (107) is not included in the kit (15), thepallets on which the barrels (5) are shipped, or any other salvagedwood, can be used.)

After the shelter (7) has been constructed from the kit (15), theshelter (7) will be given an external waterproof coating (18) and a coatof paint (19). First, roof coating (310) is applied to the shelter (7)with paint brushes (320), with the roof coating (310) envisioned in thepreferred embodiment as a 4.75 gallon container of elastomeric coating(although an asphalt based coating may also be used), and the paintbrushes (320) envisioned as two in number and of 4-inch size. After theroof coating (310) is applied to the shelter (7), in order to completethe external waterproof coating (18), a plaster made of fine clayparticles is applied. To make the plaster, the kit (15) includes asecond screen (62) and trowel (64), the second screen (62) envisioned inthe preferred embodiment as circular, 22 inches in diameter, and made of¼ inch expanded metal lathe, and the trowel (64) as 11 inches in length.The second screen (62) is utilized to sift soil into fine clay particlesto make plaster that can be applied by the trowel (64) to both theinterior and exterior of the shelter (7), followed by a second coat ofroof coating (310) on the exterior of the shelter (7). This process willprovide an external waterproof coating (18) for the shelter (7). Paint(65) can then be applied for decorative purposes by utilizing the threepint sized cans included in the preferred embodiment of the kit (15).

In addition, mosquito netting (300) is included in the kit (15) tooverlay the doorway and windows to protect inhabitants from mosquitoesthat may be carrying malaria. The preferred embodiment of the kit (15)envisions a bag of mosquito netting (300), with the mosquito netting(300) made of fine mesh polyester 48 inches by 72 inches in size. Twoother features of the present invention are the canvas awning (45) andwater catchment system (85). In the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, as shown in FIG. 1, the canvas awning (45) and watercatchment system (85) are made with items that include a tarpaulin(305), extendable poles (306), snap links (215), eye hooks (245), tentpegs (185) tent strings (195), and a faucet (205). The canvas awning(45) provides shade outside the shelter (7), giving inhabitants a placeto perform washing and other tasks, and creating a community space inwhich they can socialize. The canvas awning (45) is also a key part ofthe water catchment system (85), catching rain water that is diverted tothe empty barrel (5) in the water catchment system (85). In thepreferred embodiment, the tarpaulin (305) is in a rectangular size of 8feet by 10 feet, and connected to the shelter (7) by means of three snaplinks (215), 2.5 inches in size, and three eye hooks (245) of 10 inchgalvanized steel. Each eye hook (245) attaches to the exterior of theshelter (7) by means of a strip anchor (240) (not shown in FIG. 1). Thetarpaulin (305) is also held up at two corners by the extendable poles(306), which in the preferred embodiment are two in number, with acollapsed length of 26 inches and an extended length of eight feet, andsecured by tent strings (195) to tent pegs (185) placed in the ground.The tent pegs (185) are envisioned in the preferred embodiment as nineinches long, and the tent strings (195) in a roll of 100 feet lengththat can be cut to size. The barrel (5) is used to catch water thatgathers into the tarpaulin (305) during periods of rainfall, and thefaucet (205) is attached near the base of the barrel (5) in order towithdraw water.

Another feature of the present invention is a composting toilet (25).The composting toilet (25) is a simple item, but essential for propersanitation at the site of the shelter (7). The composting toilet (25) ismade of a toilet seat lid (330) and a bucket (30). In the preferredembodiment, the toilet seat lid (330) is a conventional commercialtoilet seat, and the bucket (30) is a conventional, 5-gallon size,plastic bucket.

The packing process (70) by which the items of the kit (15) are placedinto the barrel (5) is also a key aspect of the present invention. Theestimated weight of the barrel (5) after the packing process (70) is 240pounds. By following the steps of the packing process (70) enumeratedbelow, the items of the kit (15) will be packed tightly into the barrel(5), so that the barrel (5) can be tipped on its side and rolled by handto a work site. This aspect of the invention is important for disasterareas where there are no forklifts or infrastructure.

The steps of the packing process (70) by which the items of the kit (15)are placed into the barrel (5) are enumerated below. The first steps ofthe packing process (70) are ensuring the barrel (5) is empty (1000),placing the first screen (66) and second screen (62) into the barrel (5)flat on the base of the barrel (5) (1010), wrapping the polytubematerial (12) around the barbed wire (20) (1020), and placing thepolytube material (12) wrapped around the barbed wire (20) into thebarrel (5) (1030). The next step in the packing process (70) is placingthe extendable poles (306), the first tamper (110), and the secondtamper (100) into the barrel (5), disposed between the polytube material(12) and the barrel (5) (1040). The next steps are pressing flat thetube chute (55) (1050), placing into the barrel (5) the flattened tubechute (55) disposed between the polytube material (12) and the barrel(5) (1060), then placing the rafter square (155) and carpenter's level(290) into the barrel (5) within the center of the flattened tube chute(55) (1070). The first stake (180), first chain (200), and strip anchors(240) are next placed into the barrel (5) disposed between the polytubematerial (12) and the barrel (5) (1080), then the second stake (183),second chain (210), chalk bottle (81), and tent pegs (185) are placedinto the barrel (5) disposed between the polytube material (12) and thebarrel (5) (1090).

The next step in the packing process (70) is placing the roof coating(310) inside the bucket (30) (1110), and placing the roof coating (310)and bucket (30) into the barrel (5) on top of the polytube material(1120). The next step in the packing process (70) is placing the saw(280), paint brushes (320), hand shovel (54), hand pick (255), trowel(64), hammer (270), screwdriver (260), hand rake (53), scissors (67),and wire cutters (40) into the barrel (5) disposed between the bucket(30) and the barrel (5) (1130). The clear jar (60) and the paint (65)are also placed into the barrel (5) disposed between the bucket (30) andthe barrel (5) (1140).

The next step of the packing process is ensuring the small buckets (140)are empty (1150). Then the latches (230), the door handles (235), thehinges (220), and one pair of leather gloves (50) are placed in one ofthe small buckets (140) (1160); the nails (130), the poly twine (170),the tent strings (195), the faucet (205), and one pair of leather gloves(50) are placed in one of the small buckets (140) (1170); the springclips (160), the snap links (215), the tape measure (175), and one pairof leather gloves (50) are placed in one of the small buckets (140)(1180); and the elastic cord (52), the eye hooks (245), the wood screws(250), the door arc chains (121), and one pair of leather gloves (50)are placed in one of the small buckets (140) (1190). The small buckets(140) are then placed into the barrel (5) disposed between the bucket(30) and the barrel (5) (1200).

The next steps are placing the shovels (90) into the barrel (5) on topof the bucket (30) (1210), placing the mosquito netting (300) into thebarrel (5) on top of the shovels (90) (1220), placing the toilet seatlid (330) into the barrel (5) on top of the mosquito netting (300)(1230), placing the tarpaulin (305) into the barrel (5) on top of thetoilet seat lid (330) (1240), and placing the slider (150) into thebarrel (5) on top of the tarpaulin (305) (1250). At this point, all theitems in the kit (15) are packed in the barrel (5), and the barrel (5)is to be sealed for shipment (1260).

In summary, the present invention is a kit (15) for building a shelter(7) of the flexible form, rammed earth type, comprising the barrel (5),the hand pick (255), the clear jar (60), the first screen (66), thefirst stake (180) and the second stake (183), the first chain (200) andthe second chain (210), the tape measure (175), the chalk bottle (81),the polytube material (12), the scissors (67), the nails (130), theshovels (90), the hand rake (53), the tube chute (55), the elastic cord(52), the first tamper (110), the hand shovel (54), the second tamper(100), the barbed wire (20), the wire cutters (40), the leather gloves(50), the carpenter's level (290), the spring clips (160), the polytwine (170), the small buckets (140), the slider (150), the raftersquare (155), the door arc chains (121), the wood screws (250), thescrewdriver (260), the hammer (270), the saw (280), the hinges (220),the latches (230), the strip anchors (240), the door handles (235), theroof coating (310), the paint brushes (320), the second screen (62), thetrowel (64), the paint (65), the mosquito netting (300), the tarpaulin(305), the extendable poles (306), the snap links (215), the eye hooks(245), the tent pegs (185), the tent strings (195), the faucet (205),the toilet seat lid (330) and the bucket (30), wherein the hand pick(255), the clear jar (60), the first screen (66), the first stake (180)and the second stake (183), the first chain (200) and the second chain(210), the tape measure (175), the chalk bottle (81), the polytubematerial (12), the scissors (67), the nails (130), the shovels (90), thehand rake (53), the tube chute (55), the elastic cord (52), the firsttamper (110), the hand shovel (54), the second tamper (100), the barbedwire (20), the wire cutters (40), the leather gloves (50), thecarpenter's level (290), the spring clips (160), the poly twine (170),the small buckets (140), the slider (150), the rafter square (155), thedoor arc chains (121), the wood screws (250), the screwdriver (260), thehammer (270), the saw (280), the hinges (220), the latches (230), thestrip anchors (240), the door handles (235), the roof coating (310), thepaint brushes (320), the second screen (62), the trowel (64), the paint(65), the mosquito netting (300), the tarpaulin (305), the extendablepoles (306), the snap links (215), the eye hooks (245), the tent pegs(185), the tent strings (195), the faucet (205), the toilet seat lid(330), and the bucket (30) are configured to fit together inside thebarrel (5).

In addition, present invention further comprises a canvas awning (45),water catchment system (85), and external waterproof coating (18) forthe shelter (7). The canvas awning (45) for the shelter (7) is comprisedof the tarpaulin (305), the extendable poles (306), the snap links(215), the eye hooks (245), the tent pegs (185), and the tent strings(195). The water catchment system (85) for the shelter (7) is comprisedof the tarpaulin (305), the extendable poles (306), the snap links(215), the eye hooks (245), the tent pegs (185), the tent strings (195),the barrel (5), and the faucet (205). The external waterproof coating(18) for the shelter (7) is comprised of the roof coating (310), thepaint brushes (320), the second screen (62), and the trowel (64).

Furthermore, the present invention also comprises a composting toilet(25), lockable doors (105), and lockable window shutters (107) for theshelter (7). The composting toilet (25) for the shelter (7) is comprisedof the toilet seat lid (330) and the bucket (30). The lockable doors(105) for the shelter (7) are comprised of the hinges (220), the latches(230), the strip anchors (240), the door handles (235), the wood screws(250), the nails (130), the hammer (270), the saw (280), and thescrewdriver (260). The lockable window shutters (107) for the shelter(7) are comprised of the hinges (220), the latches (230), the stripanchors (240), the door handles (235), the wood screws (250), the nails(130), the hammer (270), the saw (280), and the screwdriver (260). Inaddition, the present invention comprises mosquito netting (300),wherein the lockable doors (105) of the shelter (7) are covered with themosquito netting (300), and the lockable window shutters (107) of theshelter (7) are covered with the mosquito netting (300).

Finally, the present invention includes the packing process (70) ofassembling the emergency shelter kit (15), the packing process (70)comprising the following steps: ensuring the barrel (5) is empty (1000);placing the first screen (66) and the second screen (62) into the barrel(5) flat on the base of the barrel (5) (1010); wrapping the polytubematerial (12) around the barbed wire (20) (1020); placing the polytubematerial (12) wrapped around the barbed wire (20) into the barrel (5)(1030); placing extendable poles (306), the first tamper (110), and thesecond tamper (100) into the barrel (5), disposed between the polytubematerial (12) and the barrel (5) (1040); pressing flat a tube chute (55)(1050); placing into the barrel (55) the flattened tube chute (55)disposed between the polytube material (12) and the barrel (5) (1060);placing the rafter square (155) and the carpenter's level (290) into thebarrel (5) within the center of the flattened tube chute (55) (1070);placing into the barrel (5) disposed between the polytube material (12)and the barrel (5) the first stake (180), the first chain (200), and thestrip anchors (240) (1080); placing into the barrel (5) disposed betweenthe polytube material (12) and the barrel (5) the second stake (183),the second chain (210), the chalk bottle (81), and the tent pegs (185)(1090); placing the roof coating (310) inside the bucket (30) (1110);placing the roof coating (310) and the bucket (30) into the barrel (5)on top of the polytube material (12) (1120); placing the saw (280), thepaint brushes (320), the hand shovel (54), the hand pick (255), thetrowel (64), the hammer (270), the screwdriver (260), the hand rake(53), the scissors (67), and the wire cutters (40) into the barrel (5)disposed between the bucket (30) and the barrel (5) (1130); placing theclear jar (60) and the paint (65) into the barrel (5) disposed betweenthe bucket (30) and the barrel (5) (1140); ensuring the small buckets(140) are empty (1150); placing the latches (230), the door handles(235), the hinges (220), and one pair of leather gloves (50) into one ofthe small buckets (140) (1160); placing the nails (130), the poly twine(170), the tent strings (195), the faucet (205), and one pair of leathergloves (50) into one of the small buckets (140) (1170); placing thespring clips (160), the snap links (215), the tape measure (175), andone pair of leather gloves (50) into one of the small buckets (140)(1180); placing the elastic cord (52), the eye hooks (245), the woodscrews (250), the door arc chains (121), and one pair of leather gloves(50) into one of the small buckets (140) (1190); placing the smallbuckets (140) into the barrel (5) disposed between the bucket (30) andthe barrel (5) (1200); placing the shovels (90) into the barrel (5) ontop of the bucket (30) (1210); placing the mosquito netting (300) intothe barrel (5) on top of the shovels (90) (1220); placing the toiletseat lid (330) into the barrel (5) on top of the mosquito netting (300)(1230); placing the tarpaulin (305) into the barrel (5) on top of thetoilet seat lid (330) (1240); placing the slider (150) into the barrel(5) on top of the tarpaulin (305) (1250); and sealing the barrel (5)(1260).

The elements of the kit (15) enumerated above may change as needsdictate. Elements may be added or removed from the contents of the kit(15) according to the particular conditions of a disaster area. However,the basic elements of the kit (15) will remain substantially the same.

I claim:
 1. A kit for building a shelter of the flexible form, rammedearth type, comprising: a container; a jar; a first screen; a firststake and a second stake; a first chain and a second chain; polytubematerial; a rake; a tube chute; an elastic cord; a first tamper; ashovel; a second tamper; a level; spring clips; poly twine; a slider; arafter square; door arc chains; a screwdriver; a hammer; a saw; hinges;latches; strip anchors; door handles; roof coating; a second screen; atrowel; mosquito netting; a tarpaulin; extendable poles; snap links; eyehooks; tent pegs; nails; tent strings; a faucet; a toilet seat lid; andat least one bucket; wherein the jar, the first screen, the first stakeand the second stake, the first chain and the second chain, the polytubematerial, the nails, the shovels, the rake, the tube chute, the elasticcord, the first tamper, the hand shovel, the second tamper, the level,the spring clips, the poly twine, the at least one bucket, the slider,the rafter square, the door arc chains, the screws, the screwdriver, thehammer, the saw, the hinges, the latches, the strip anchors, the doorhandles, the roof coating, the second screen, the trowel, the mosquitonetting, the tarpaulin, the extendable poles, the snaplinks, the eyehooks, the tent pegs, the tent strings, the faucet, and the toilet seatlid are configured to fit together inside the container.
 2. The kit ofclaim 1, further comprising a canvas awning for said shelter, the canvasawning comprised of said tarpaulin, said extendable poles, said snaplinks, said eye hooks, said tent pegs, and said tent strings.
 3. The kitof claim 1, further comprising a water catchment system for saidshelter, the water catchment system comprised of said tarpaulin, saidextendable poles, said snap links, said eye hooks, said tent pegs, saidtent strings, said container, and said faucet.
 4. The kit of claim 1,further comprising an external waterproof coating for said shelter, theexternal waterproof coating comprised of said roof coating, said secondscreen, and said trowel.
 5. The kit of claim 1, further comprising acomposting toilet for said shelter, the composting toilet comprised ofsaid toilet seat lid and said bucket.
 6. The kit of claim 1, furthercomprising lockable doors for said shelter, the lockable doors comprisedof said hinges, said latches, said strip anchors, said door handles,said wood screws, said nails, said hammer, said saw, and saidscrewdriver.
 7. The kit of claim 1, further comprising lockable windowshutters for said shelter, the lockable window shutters comprised ofsaid hinges, said latches, said strip anchors, said door handles, saidwood screws, said nails, said hammer, said saw, and said screwdriver. 8.The kit of claim 1, wherein said jar is non-opaque.
 9. The kit of claim6, wherein said lockable doors of said shelter are covered with saidmosquito netting.
 10. The kit of claim 7, wherein said lockable windowshutters of said shelter are covered with said mosquito netting.
 11. Thekit of claim 2, further comprising a water catchment system for saidshelter, the water catchment system comprised of said tarpaulin, saidextendable poles, said snap links, said eye hooks, said tent pegs, saidtent strings, said container, and said faucet.
 12. The kit of claim 2,further comprising an external waterproof coating for said shelter, theexternal waterproof coating comprised of said roof coating, said secondscreen, and said trowel.
 13. The kit of claim 2, further comprising acomposting toilet for said shelter, the composting toilet comprised ofsaid toilet seat lid and said bucket.
 14. The kit of claim 2, furthercomprising lockable doors for said shelter, the lockable doors comprisedof said hinges, said latches, said strip anchors, said door handles,said wood screws, said nails, said hammer, said saw, and saidscrewdriver.
 15. The kit of claim 2, further comprising lockable windowshutters for said shelter, the lockable window shutters comprised ofsaid hinges, said latches, said strip anchors, said door handles, saidwood screws, said nails, said hammer, said saw, and said screwdriver.16. The kit of claim 1, wherein said polytube material is sandbags.